NEW DELHI: Senior lawyer and jurist Ram Jethmalani on Thursday moved the Supreme Court of India in his personal capacity against the Karnataka governor’s decision to invite the BJP to form the government in the state, saying it was a “gross abuse of constitutional power”.

Eight months ago, he had announced his retirement from the legal profession after more than seven decades, said he would continue to fight corrupt politicians.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra considered Jethmalani’s submission seeking urgent hearing and said that a three-judge special bench – which had heard the matter on the intervening night of 16-17 May – would re-assemble on Friday, 18 May.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, asked the veteran lawyer to make his submission before the three-judge bench led by Justice AK Sikri on 18 May, when the petitions filed by the Congress party and the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) would be taken up for further hearing.